Outside locket vanity case



Oct. 25, 1949. 'A. M. 'COHAN' 2,485,814

OUTSIDE LOCKET VANITY CASE Filed Opt. 11, 1945 IN V EN TOR. fiZbewZ'M Cohan Patented Oct. 25, 1941-9 Albert M. Cohan, Chicago, Ill.

Applicationflctober 11, 1945, Serial No; 621,705

2 Claims.

This invention relates to vanity cases and particularly to a case having an outside locket for pictures and the like.

Vanity cases are made in a wide variety of structures having various compartments or sections for powder, powder puff, mirrors, etc. Great ingenuity has been exercised in these arrangements to make such vanity cases attractive to women purchasers. In addition to the complicated interior arrangements much effort has been expended on exterior ornamentation.

The problem presented in the development of a popular successful vanity case, is the attainment of maximum utility and decoration with a minimum of cost and weight. This is combined with the necessity for supplying a wide variety of distinctive designs with a minimum of tooling and changes in the production facilities.

The principal object of the present invention is to combine in a vanity case an outside locket for a picture and/or a mirror which has distinctive decorative value and which may be utilized without opening the vanity case proper whereby the contents of the locket are protected from the contents of the case.

Another object is to provide a light weight vanity case having an outside locket which may be utilized without danger of opening the vanity case compartment holding powder and the like.

Other objects and benefits will be disclosed in the following descriptions and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional vanity case with an outside locket opened for observation; and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an optional form of vanity case with an outside locket in closed position.

Now referring to the drawings and at the outset to Fig. 1, I show a conventional form of vanity case I0 having a central hinge II and a conventional latch I2 on the opposite side of the case from the hinge II. The latch l2 (not shown) is a conventional latch similar to that shown in Fig. 2.

The case I0 is constructed in the conventional manner with compartments for powder, powder puff, etc., as well illustrated in Patents 1,959,784 and 1,875,245, and as is well understood in the art.

It will be appreciated that the optimum arrangement of compartments will provide the widest combination of vanity utilities and outside decoration, the only practical limitation being the weight. Milady desires the maximum of utilities but seriously objects to a heavy vanity case. However, she does prefer a metal case and insists that it" be decorative and beautiful-I Experience has shown that it is virtually impossible to keep mirrors and pictures free of powder when carried inside the case, and although mirror may be wiped off to provide limited use, the pictures held therein rapidly deteriorate and become smudged and useless.

I therefore utilize a conventional vanity case l0 having the usual compartments, but mounted in fiat abutment on the outside of the case by soldering or riveting is a light decorative locket frame I4 having a conventional bezel ledge [5, a locket closure l6 having a hinge I1 and with a latch opener I8. It will be noted that the locket hinge I! is on the opposite side from the hinge- I2 of the case I0 and therefore may be opened with little danger of opening the case. Therefore, when the locket is opened, the case remains closed. The closure I6 is adapted to carry a mirror 19 and the frame I4 is adapted to carry a photograph or picture 20. Thus milady has available in a vanity case, a mirror which is clear and usable because it is not subject to clouding by powder from th case and a photograph that is not smudged from the same source. The locket may be made of any size or shape but I prefer to make it rather smaller than the case to reduce weight and lend a decorative effect. It will be appreciated that such a locket may be made of light materials, including plastics, because it is supported and protected by the case I0.

Now referring to Fig. 2, I show an optional structure wherein the conventional case I0 has a four leafed frame 20 fastened in flat abutment to the case H] by decorative rivets 2!. A locket cover 22 is hinged to the frame 20 by hinges 23 placed at right angles to the hinge on the case [0 to guard against accidental opening of the case It]. The interior locket arrangement is similar to that described for Fig. 1.

It will be obvious that the stationary decorative member of the locket might be made as an integral portion of the closure member with merely a supplanted hinged locket cover superimposed upon the surface of such decorative member. However, when this is done, suitable disassembly of the locket hinge members will have to be relied upon to provide a means for applying a variety of designs or additional ornamental locket units for mounting upon the surface of th closure member assembly including the surface of the integrally formed decorative member of the closure.

Figs. 1 and 2 generally illustrate my novel structure of an exterior locket for vanity cases,

3 although it will be appreciated that a wide variety of such lockets may be provided to permit a wide assortment of light weight distinctive vanity cases with a minimum of tooling and cost.

Having thus described my invention, I now claim as new:

1. In a vanity case having a cover with a relatively fiat top surface, the combination with said vanity case, of a locket comprising a'frame seated directly on said top surface of the cover, means for securing the frame to the cover, said frame having means therein for receiving and holding a picture exposed through the top of the frame, and a cover hinged to the frame in position to extend over the picture and having an inside mirror surface thereon.

2. In a vanity case having a cover with a relatively flat top surface, the combination with said vanity case, of a locket comprising a relatively flat frame having the bottom thereof seated directly on said top surface of the cover, means for REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,423,079 Cathcart July 18, 1922 1,686,370 Eyman Oct. 2, 1928 1,875,127 Parkin Aug. 30, 1932 1,875,245 Larson et a1. Aug. 30, 1932 2,224,995

Vogel a Dec. 17, 1940 

